3.25 Redcar, Tuesday, September 19

The Racing UK Straight Mile Series Handicap (3.25) is the best race of the day at Redcar on Tuesday and, although roundly thrashed in 0-90 company at Newmarket and Thirsk on his two most recent starts, Showboating can take advantage of this slight drop in class. John Balding’s 9-year-old has shown his best form on turf with plenty of cut in the ground and, although still 5lb higher in the weights than when winning the Carlisle Bell Consolation Race Handicap in June, promising apprentice Lewis Edmunds takes off a useful 3lb.

Obviously, the Shamardal gelding isn’t getting any younger, but he’s been given a short break since finishing out with the washing, at 50/1, at Thirsk in August and demonstrated earlier in the year that he’s still a force to be reckoned with at this level. His trainer has a paltry 5-140 (4%) career strike rate at the North Yorkshire course, but that shouldn’t necessarily be held against Showboating, who has his favoured conditions and is by no means impossibly handicapped on his best form.

Of course, Showboating is fully exposed but, with the possible exceptions of the 3-year-old Kynren, who’s had just three career starts, and the 4-year-old Poet’s Beauty, who returns from an absence of 431 days and must have fitness doubts, the same can be said of the opposition. John Balding has used Lewis Edmunds to good effect this season, so Showboating should hopefully go well at a decent price.

Selection: Redcar 3.25 Showboating to win  - 25/1